Identifying novel drivers of human hepatocellular carcinoma and revealing clinical relevance as early diagnostic and prognostic biomarker
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ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and is the one of the few cancers in which a continued increase in incidence has been observed over several years. HCC associated with chronic liver disease evolves from precancerous lesion and early HCC to overt cancer, and identifying key molecules contributing to early stage HCC is an urgent need. We aim to determine transcriptome-based molecular signature of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, and to identify novel biomarkers to diagnose and predict early stage HCC.
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and is the one of the few cancers in which a continued increase in incidence has been observed over several years. HCC associated with chronic liver disease evolves from precancerous lesion and early HCC to overt cancer, and identifying key molecules contributing to early stage HCC is an urgent need. α-Fetoprotein (AFP) is the best serum biomarker for diagnosis of HCC, but sensitivity is low, particularly in detection of early-stage HCC. Therefore, novel and reliable diagnostic biomarkers to complement AFP are needed to improve HCC diagnosis. We aim to determine transcriptome-based molecular signature of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, and to identify novel serum biomarkers to diagnose early stage HCC patient.
Project description:Approximately two decades ago, Vogelstein and Fearon proposed the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of sporadic CRC development and illustrated the accumulation of genetic alterations during the stepwise progression, thereby providing a guideline for clinical practice. Although the detection and excision of precancerous lesions could prevent colorectal cancer and reduce mortality, 6% of adenomas will ultimately develop into colorectal cancer. Thus, this genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis may not completely reflect the complex essence of the disease and whether the mode of initiation of the events in the multistep progression affects the outcome of CRC is still unknown. In this study, mRNA and miRNA expression profiling was performed with human colorectal tissues, including normal mucosa, adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Then, an integrated approach was adopted to establish the regulatory interaction networks that were correlated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Finally, a 55-gene signature whose expression was down-regulated in precancerous lesions compared to normal tissue was identified as a potential early indicator of CRC survival. The results suggested that genes related to immunity and homeostasis played a critical role in protection against adenoma initiation and that the altered molecular events that influence colorectal cancer prognosis may be set in an early, precancerous stage.
Project description:Approximately two decades ago, Vogelstein and Fearon proposed the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of sporadic CRC development and illustrated the accumulation of genetic alterations during the stepwise progression, thereby providing a guideline for clinical practice. Although the detection and excision of precancerous lesions could prevent colorectal cancer and reduce mortality, 6% of adenomas will ultimately develop into colorectal cancer. Thus, this genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis may not completely reflect the complex essence of the disease and whether the mode of initiation of the events in the multistep progression affects the outcome of CRC is still unknown. In this study, mRNA and miRNA expression profiling was performed with human colorectal tissues, including normal mucosa, adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Then, an integrated approach was adopted to establish the regulatory interaction networks that were correlated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Finally, a 55-gene signature whose expression was down-regulated in precancerous lesions compared to normal tissue was identified as a potential early indicator of CRC survival. The results suggested that genes related to immunity and homeostasis played a critical role in protection against adenoma initiation and that the altered molecular events that influence colorectal cancer prognosis may be set in an early, precancerous stage.
Project description:To identify early biomarkers at the precancerous stage of cholangiocarcinoma through serum proteomics and validate key proteins as potential diagnostic markers
Project description:Hepatoarcinogenesis is a slow and multistep process. We used Hepatitis B virus X antigen (HBx) induced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as model. We also identify the biomarkers, the pathways and networks underlying HCC formation in this animal model. We analyzed the events from the early, middle, and late stages, in order to predict and prevent the development of cancer. At each specific stage, we analyzed the expression level that differed at least two-fold between HBx transgenic and wild-type mouse liver. Statistical approaches were used to identify genes displaying an increasing or decreasing trend throughout hepatocarcinogenesis.
Project description:Approximately two decades ago, Vogelstein and Fearon proposed the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of sporadic CRC development and illustrated the accumulation of genetic alterations during the stepwise progression, thereby providing a guideline for clinical practice. Although the detection and excision of precancerous lesions could prevent colorectal cancer and reduce mortality, 6% of adenomas will ultimately develop into colorectal cancer. Thus, this genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis may not completely reflect the complex essence of the disease and whether the mode of initiation of the events in the multistep progression affects the outcome of CRC is still unknown. In this study, mRNA and miRNA expression profiling was performed with human colorectal tissues, including normal mucosa, adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Then, an integrated approach was adopted to establish the regulatory interaction networks that were correlated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Finally, a 55-gene signature whose expression was down-regulated in precancerous lesions compared to normal tissue was identified as a potential early indicator of CRC survival. The results suggested that genes related to immunity and homeostasis played a critical role in protection against adenoma initiation and that the altered molecular events that influence colorectal cancer prognosis may be set in an early, precancerous stage. Four types of human colorectal tissues were selected by colonoscopic resection or colorectal surgery, including 12 normal mucosae, 21 low-grade adenomas (mild or moderate atypical hyperplasia), 30 high-grade adenomas (severe atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ) and 25 adenocarcinomas. Gene expression profiling analysis of these samples was performed using Agilent 4x44K human whole genome gene expression microarray (G4112F).
Project description:Approximately two decades ago, Vogelstein and Fearon proposed the adenoma-carcinoma sequence of sporadic CRC development and illustrated the accumulation of genetic alterations during the stepwise progression, thereby providing a guideline for clinical practice. Although the detection and excision of precancerous lesions could prevent colorectal cancer and reduce mortality, 6% of adenomas will ultimately develop into colorectal cancer. Thus, this genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis may not completely reflect the complex essence of the disease and whether the mode of initiation of the events in the multistep progression affects the outcome of CRC is still unknown. In this study, mRNA and miRNA expression profiling was performed with human colorectal tissues, including normal mucosa, adenoma and adenocarcinoma. Then, an integrated approach was adopted to establish the regulatory interaction networks that were correlated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Finally, a 55-gene signature whose expression was down-regulated in precancerous lesions compared to normal tissue was identified as a potential early indicator of CRC survival. The results suggested that genes related to immunity and homeostasis played a critical role in protection against adenoma initiation and that the altered molecular events that influence colorectal cancer prognosis may be set in an early, precancerous stage. Four types of human colorectal tissues were selected by colonoscopic resection or colorectal surgery, including 15 normal mucosae, 39 low-grade adenomas (mild or moderate atypical hyperplasia), 20 high-grade adenomas (severe atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ) and 33 adenocarcinomas. MicroRNA expression profiling analysis of these samples was performed on Agilent 8Ã16K Human miRNA Microarray V3 (G4470C).
Project description:Prevention and treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are presently limited, underscoring the necessity for elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying HCC development and identifying new prevention and therapeutic targets. We demonstrate a unique precancerous niche that features enhanced p53 pathway, aberrant cytoplasmic p21WAF1/CIP1-expressing hepatocytes, and increased CD8+ T lymphocyte and macrophage infiltration in the livers of Ncoa5+/- mouse model of HCC. Metformin treatment reverses these precancerous features and profoundly reduces tumor incidence. Our data also reveal that a subset of HCC patients with a similar precancerous niche in the adjacent noncancerous livers had a relatively poor prognosis. Our study suggests a perceptible hepatic niche predisposing to HCC development and uncovers new actions of metformin in the prevention and treatment of HCC.
Project description:Studies on gene and/or microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation in the early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis are hampered by the difficulty of diagnosing early lesions in humans. Experimental models recapitulating human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are then entailed to perform this analysis. We performed miRNA and gene expression profiling to characterize the molecular events involved in the multistep process of hepatocarcinogenesis in the Resistant-Hepatocyte rat model. A high percentage of dysregulated miRNAs/genes in HCC were similarly altered in early preneoplastic lesions positive for the stem/progenitor cell marker cytokeratin-19, indicating that several HCC-associated alterations occur from the very beginning of the carcinogenic process. Our analysis also identified miRNA/gene-target networks aberrantly activated at the initial stage of hepatocarcinogenesis. Activation of the NRF2 pathway and up-regulation of the miR-200 family were among the most prominent changes. The relevance of these alterations in the development of HCC was confirmed by the observation that NRF2 silencing impaired while miR-200a overexpression promoted HCC cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, T3-induced in vivo inhibition of the NRF2 pathway accompanied the regression of cytokeratin-19 positive nodules, suggesting that activation of this transcription factor contributes to the onset and progression of preneoplastic lesions towards malignancy. The finding that 78% of genes and 57% of dysregulated miRNAs in rat HCC have been previously associated to human HCC as well underlines the translational value of our results. Conclusions: this study indicates that most of the molecular changes found in HCC occur in the very early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. Among these, the NRF2 pathway plays a relevant role and may represent a new therapeutic target. 20 nodules (10 weeks after initiation with DENA), 4 adenomas (10 months), 5 eHCCs (10 months) and 9 aHCCs (14 months) were dissected. 10 controls also included.
Project description:Hepatoarcinogenesis is a slow and multistep process. We used Hepatitis B virus X antigen (HBx) induced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as model. We also identify the biomarkers, the pathways and networks underlying HCC formation in this animal model. We analyzed the events from the early, middle, and late stages, in order to predict and prevent the development of cancer. At each specific stage, we analyzed the expression level that differed at least two-fold between HBx transgenic and wild-type mouse liver. Statistical approaches were used to identify genes displaying an increasing or decreasing trend throughout hepatocarcinogenesis. The liver was excised from 6-week-, 8-month-, 12-month-, 14-month-, and 16-month-old HBx transgenic mice (A106 strain) and RNA samples were isolated. In both 14-month- and 16-month-old mice, samples were obtained from both the tumor tissue and the normal.